This invention relates generally to an apparatus for securing a workpiece and more particularly to a bar clamp having a variety of clamp features and a mating base to which the bar clamp may be mounted for performing additional workpiece securing applications.
Presently, the tool industry offers a variety of tools for securing workpieces such as vises, bar clamps, C-clamps and the like. Each of these tools offer advantages over their alternatives. For example, a vise may be mounted to a work surface, such as a bench top, in order to provide a strong and sturdy apparatus for securing a workpiece. Unfortunately, however, traditional vises are not designed to be readily transported from one place to another so that the vise may be used in locations remote from the bench top. This may be due in part to the weight of the vise (which is often heavy), or in the alternative due to the way in which it is mounted to the bench top (which typically requires a base of the vise to be bolted to a work surface).
Bar clamps and C-clamps serve as alternatives to the vise in applications which are remote from a bench top and require an apparatus for securing a workpiece. An additional advantage of bar clamps is their ability to be used as both a clamp and a spreader. Applications in which bar clamps and C-clamps are used, however, are limited due to their inability to be used in applications which require a stationary bench top mounted apparatus for securing a workpiece. For example, in applications where the workpiece is not self standing or self supporting, a bar clamp may be an unacceptable alternative due to its inability to support the workpiece as desired and/or in the position desired.
Another problem associated with traditional bar clamps is that the clamp members and bars of the bar clamp are sold as a set rather than being sold separately. For example, most bar clamps are sold in varying bar lengths with the clamp members attached and are marketed by the size workpiece the tool is capable of clamping, (e.g., the clamp members are capable of clamping a 6″, 12″, 18″, 24″ 30″ or 36″ workpiece). The reason the clamp members are not sold separately from the bar is primarily due to the fact that at least one of the clamp members, (i.e., the movable clamp), is incapable of being removed from the bar without disassembling (e.g., losing parts, having parts become misaligned, etc.). In fact, several of the commercially available bar clamps prevent both of the clamp members (i.e., the stationary and movable clamps) from being removed from the bar. This prevents users from purchasing one set of clamp members for use with varying bar lengths, or from purchasing replacement clamp members and bars.
In addition, the inability to adjust the position or direction with which the clamps and/or jaw assemblies of a bar clamp are capable of engaging a workpiece may also prevent such tools from being used in certain applications. For example, when trying to use a bar clamp on a variety of different workpieces, (e.g., workpieces having differing shapes and sizes), the inability to position the clamp or jaw in a plurality of different directions to account for the differing shapes or sizes of the workpieces may reduce the number of applications in which the bar clamp may be used, or even prevent the bar clamp from being used at all. Although some bench vises have a rotatable jaw feature which may be useful in such applications, the relative immobility of the bench vise may preclude it from being used for the reasons discussed above.
Furthermore, the inability to add and replace clamps and/or the jaw assemblies of bar clamps further limits the use of such tools in a variety of applications. For example, when working with a workpiece that requires the clamp to engage or secure the workpiece in a plurality of positions, but does not have enough room for multiple bar clamps to be positioned thereon, a bar clamp may not be sufficient for the task at hand due to the operator's inability to add clamps and/or jaw assemblies. Moreover, the inability to replace broken clamps and/or jaw assemblies or to use different types of jaws and jaw assemblies may also prevent a user from using a bar clamp in applications where such options are needed.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus for securing a workpiece which can be used in a variety of locations, e.g., mounted to a bench top, remote from a bench top, etc., for a variety of different applications, such as a vise, clamp, spreader, work station, etc., and which overcomes the aforementioned limitations and further provides capabilities, features and functions, not available in current devices.
While the invention will be described in connection with preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.